The present invention relates, in general, to barricade-type safety products and more particularly to a modular welding screen apparatus for shielding welding work locations.
A great number of safety problems have been well recognized as being associated with ongoing welding operations. The ever-present hazard of burns and property ignition from the sparks inherent with the welding operation presents one main hazard. However, an equally dangerous hazard is present in the form of ultra-violet rays to unshielded eyes. The ultra-violet rays emanating from the arc developed in the welding operation often is of such an intensity as to burn and possibly permanently damage an unshielded eye glancing at the welding operation from a distance. For these reasons, among others, including the desire to completely enclose a workman with his welding project, welding safety screens have been widely used.
The same welding screens and shield are often utilized to enclose other types of "hazardous" work operations so as to safely and effectively isolate the work operations while protecting passersby and nearby property, in such operations as sanding, grinding, and machining.
While a single, upright rectangular screen or curtain can be used to shield off a welding operation in the manner herein described, it is more the practice to incorporate a series of straight screen or shield sections successively together so as to form one foldable longer chain of two or more panel sections connected back-to-back, or, alternatively, a radiating "star" of panel sections forming separate compartments, all of which radiate from a common center outwardly to form the compartments as desired.
While the use of welding curtains is as old as the welding art itself, the type of welding screen, shield, or curtain, has not changed drastically from those initially used in the art. While earlier welding screen models included the utilization of an asbestos type of material hung from an overhead structure, much like a shower curtain, the development of the welding screen has not found radical departure. For example, the most widely known and used conventional welding screen comprises a substantially rectangular construction of tubular, circular pipe, fitted together with a fiberglass or asbestos content curtain suspended between the horizontal and vertical piping. The plurality of panel sections thus formed are hingedly connected to one another to enable the user to lay out the configuration for the overall welding screen which most adequately fits the particular use or need.
The hinging apparatus most frequently used in such an inter-connected screen is, for the most part, comprised of a double cylindrical sleeve which is shaped around the abutting vertical pipe sections in order to successfully attach the pipe section side of one panel to the successive pipe section side of yet another panel section. Such a construction naturally leaves a small portion of space between abutting frame sections which must be covered to effectively shield the welding or other work operation presenting the hazard. In order to do this, most conventional screen assemblies incorporate a single, unitary curtain which extends from the extreme one side of the first panel section frame, all the way across subsequently connected panel sections to the extreme edge of the last panel section in connection. Because the curtain is of a textile type or material construction, it naturally yields to the pivoting action occurring between successive panel sections to enable folding.
There are, however, several problems often associated with the conventional type of welding screen which can arise.
For example, many of the conventionally utilized welding screen apparatus are difficult, if at all possible, to connect in a radiating "star" configuration, in which three or more of the panel sections radiate from a single point outwardly. Similarly, since most of the conventional welding screen devices utilize one large curtain which extends over several hindedly connected panel section frames, additional problems may be encountered. Among these are the fact that such a single curtain is often more expensive than a plurality of smaller curtains and must be tailor-made to cover the expected number of connected panel sections, thus reducing flexibility in connecting less or more panel sections to those already in use. Similarly, if only a portion of the large welding screen curtain is burnt or damaged, it is often necessary to replace the entire curtain instead of just the section which is damaged. This increases the expense of such a welding screen device.
Additionally, with a device having a curtain extending over several panel sections, folding at the hinged locations between panel sections tend to place additional unnecesary wear on those portions of the curtains immediately covering the hinged connections, which could lead to ripping or tearing of the curtain at the hinged location, and the subsequent hazards created by openings in the curtain. Further, the manner in which conventional curtains are restrained within the framework of the panel section, calls for the vast majority of the curtain's weight to be supported by the top horizontal bar of the panel section, placing most of the stress on that bar, while the rest of the framework maintains the curtain in a relatively loose manner.
The conventional panel section construction is often hard to disassemble and break down because of the welded hinging which makes difficult reduction of the assembly for purposes of storage and transportation. Additionally, the circular pipe tubular frame assembly is often subjected to bending, sagging and torque deformation, due to the lack of structural support offered by a circular pipe assembly. Similarly, such a circular pipe assembly requires a substantial amount of bending for purposes of fabrication, as well as substantially high costs for the pivoting joint hinges and the labor involved for the required connection of the hinges to the pipe sections. A circular pipe assembly, similarly depends on circular pipe connection apparatus for connecting the platform legs of the device to the frame assembly. When such a circular pipe connection is utilized, problems often arise with the swivelling of the platform legs when accidentally bumped or moved, which could result in the toppling of the entire welding screen.
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a welding screen apparatus which is relatively easy to fabricate, assemble, and disassemble for purposes of fabrication, storage, and transportation, with component parts that fit accurately into one another in a strong, secure manner and with components that are of a more reinforced channel construction which are more resistant to bending, twisting and applied torque.
It is similarly an object of the invention to provide a welding screen apparatus comprising a plurality of panel sections which are pivoted relative to one another through inexpensive hinging devices which provide a minimum of friction for the pivoting operation, which enable the assembly of the panel sections into any type of desired configuration and when enable close abutment of the panel sections so as to require only individual curtain means for each panel section.
Additionally, it is an object to provide a welding screen device which includes platform leg devices which are easy to position as desired to accommodate the pivoting of the panel sections, and which, at the same time, are substantially sturdy to resist accidental movement from a desired position to keep the panel section upright.
Further, it is an object of the invention to provide a welding operation shield which utilizes individual curtains to avoid the high cost of replacing a burnt or damaged comprehensive common curtain, as well as to provide a device wherein the weight of the curtain itself is more appropriately spread to at least three of the frame members of the panel section, to reduce the amount of stress on any single frame member, through the use of a curtain tie which holds up well under welding or other similar work operations.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent as described in the present disclosure.